Electrical Contracting News (ECN) September 2016 | Page 16

KEY ISSUE

LEAVE IT TO THE
PROFESSIONALS
As householders, tenants, landlords or even parents and carers, we are responsible for
ensuring the electrical installation within a property is well maintained and checked at regular
intervals. But how far should we be going to stay safe? And when does being vigilant cross the
line into being dangerous? Emma Clancy of Certsure explains why we all have a duty of care
towards electrics and why electrical safety should remain the domain of the skilled electrician.

A

s the blurring of skills
and competencies
amongst trades
increases it can often
be difficult for the
consumer looking to
get a problem with
their electrics resolved
to know where to turn. How do you know
who has the right credentials and what
does that actually entitle them to do in
regard to work around the home?
Over the last few years there seems
to have been an upturn in the number of
courses, and training programmes which
claim to turn the non-competent, nontechnical people out there into ‘skilled and
accredited inspectors’ who can carry out
simple electrical checks to make sure your
home is safe.
One recent course in particular, aimed
at surveyors, claims that it will create
Electrical Safety Surveyors at the end of
it. Now I am all for improved safety in the
home and being wary – but encouraging
people not directly linked to the electrical
industry to start carrying out possible
inspections is both confusing and
potentially dangerous.
What is an electrical safety surveyor
exactly? And what does it entitle them to
do? Is it the same as calling a registered
competent electrician? Well according to
the infor